Air bag device

Abstract

To appropriately arrest a crewman existing at a position separated from an instrument panel while suppressing an air bag capacity.SOLUTION: An air bag device 1 comprises an air bag 10 including a first inflation part 11 which inflates and expands to a front region of a leg L of a crewman, and a second inflation part 12 which continues to an upper part of the first inflation part 11, and inflates and expands to a front region of a chest part of the crewman; a retainer 4 which accommodates the folded air bag 10; a lid panel 6 which is attached to the retainer 4; and an inflator 5 which ejects a gas and inflates the air bag 10. The lid panel 6, which has been pushed out backward in association with inflation and expansion of the first inflation part 11, arrests the leg L of the crewman.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an airbag device for restraining an occupant in the event of a vehicle collision. [Background technology]

[0002] A known leg airbag device for restraining an occupant by inflating an airbag in front of the occupant's legs in the event of a frontal collision of the vehicle is one that is equipped with an airbag that inflates in front of the occupant's legs and an inflator for inflating the airbag, and is installed on the instrument panel in front of the seat.

[0003] In vehicles where the seat is located far from the instrument panel or where the seat slides a great deal, the airbag capacity of the leg airbag device is made larger than in vehicles where the distance between the occupant and the instrument panel is closer, and the output of the inflator is increased in accordance with the increased capacity, resulting in higher costs. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-43711 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an airbag device that can appropriately restrain an occupant located away from the instrument panel while reducing the airbag capacity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The airbag device of the present invention comprises an airbag including a first inflation section that inflates and deploys in the area in front of the occupant's legs, and a second inflation section that is connected to the upper part of the first inflation section and inflates and deploys in the area in front of the occupant's chest, a retainer that houses the folded airbag, a lid panel attached to the retainer, and an inflator that ejects gas to inflate the airbag, and the lid panel is pushed rearward as the first inflation section inflates and deploys, restraining the occupant's legs. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to appropriately restrain an occupant who is positioned away from the instrument panel while reducing the airbag capacity. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of an airbag device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1A-1C illustrate examples of extendable members. [Figure 3] 1A-1C illustrate examples of extendable members. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of deployment of an airbag. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of deployment of an airbag. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of an airbag device according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5. In the following description, the front, rear, left and right directions refer to the front, rear, left and right directions of an automobile equipped with an airbag device.

[0010] As shown in Fig. 1, an airbag device 1 is installed on an instrument panel 2 in front of a seat 3. This airbag device 1 includes a container-shaped retainer 4 that is open on the rear (vehicle interior) side, an airbag 10 housed in this retainer 4, an inflator (gas generator) 5 for inflating this airbag 10, and the like.

[0011] The retainer 4 is disposed in an opening 2a provided in the lower part of the instrument panel 2. The opening 2a is provided at a height near the seat surface of the seat 3.

[0012] The inflator 5 is attached to the retainer 4 with bolts and nuts (not shown). The bolts may be erected from the inflator 5 or from a holder that holds the inflator 5. The inflator 5 is disposed inside the airbag 10. The bolts are inserted through small holes or slits provided in the airbag 10 and bolt insertion holes on the bottom surface of the retainer, and the nuts are tightened. This fixes the inflator 5 to the retainer 4, and also connects the airbag 10 to the retainer 4.

[0013] The airbag 10 is folded and stored in a retainer 4. A flat lid panel 6 is attached to the open surface of the retainer 4 so as to cover the folded body of the airbag 10. For example, the lid panel 6 is preferably made of the same resin material as the instrument panel 2 and has a laminated structure with a soft layer on the occupant side and a hard layer on the opposite side from the occupant. The lid panel 6 is attached to the retainer 4 via an extensible member 7. For example, one end of the extensible member 7 is connected to the lid panel 6, and the other end is connected to a side wall or bottom surface of the retainer 4.

[0014] The extendable member 7 may be of a slide type as shown in Fig. 2 or of a link type as shown in Fig. 3. The extendable member 7 is normally at its initial length (short state), and at this time, the lid panel 6 is positioned so as to be substantially flush with the instrument panel 2. As the lid panel 6 moves rearward, the extendable member 7 extends.

[0015] A monitor 8 is mounted on the instrument panel 2 above the leg airbag device 1. The monitor 8 is supported by a monitor arm 9. The monitor 8 is attached to the rear end of the monitor arm 9. The monitor arm 9 is rotatable upward and forward around its front end. In other words, the monitor arm 9 and the monitor 8 supported by the monitor arm 9 are movable clockwise around the front end of the monitor arm 9 in a side view from the right side of the vehicle.

[0016] The airbag 10 has a first inflatable section 11 that inflates and deploys in front of the occupant's legs L, and a second inflatable section 12 that is connected to the upper part of the first inflatable section 11, inflates and deploys above the first inflatable section 11, and restrains the head and chest of the occupant (see FIG. 5). The airbag 10 can be produced, for example, by sewing together the peripheral edges of a first panel on the side facing the occupant and a second panel on the side opposite the occupant.

[0017] When a vehicle equipped with this leg airbag device 1 experiences an oblique collision, an offset collision, or a head-on collision, or when a collision is detected, the inflator 5 is activated, and the airbag 10 inflates and deploys in an area including in front of the occupant. As shown in FIG. 4, the airbag 10 first inflates and deploys the first inflation section 11 rearward from the retainer 4 in an area in front of the occupant's legs. The deployment force of the first inflation section 11 pushes the lid panel 6 rearward, causing the extensible member 7 to extend, and the rearward-moving lid panel 6 abuts against the occupant's legs L to restrain their movement. In addition, the pretensioner function of the seatbelt device (not shown) causes the retractor to retract the seatbelt, restraining the occupant's upper body.

[0018] Next, as shown in Figure 5, the second inflation section 12 inflates and deploys upward along the instrument panel 2. The second inflation section 12 inflates and deploys in front of the occupant's chest. When the inflated and deployed second inflation section 12 pushes up the monitor arm 9, the monitor 8 moves upward and forward. The force limiter function of the seat belt device causes the retractor to loosen the restraining force of the seat belt and gradually unwind the seat belt. The second inflation section 12 restrains the head and chest of the occupant, who leans forward due to the unwinding of the seat belt.

[0019] Since the lid panel 6 restrains the occupant's legs L, it becomes easier to ensure a reaction force to the occupant's legs L while suppressing the pressure of the first inflation section 11. This makes it possible to suppress the capacity of the first inflation section 11 and the output of the inflator 5.

[0020] Furthermore, since the second inflation section 12 restrains the head and chest of an occupant in a forward-leaning position, it can be made smaller in size and the airbag capacity can be reduced compared to airbags that restrain the head and chest of an occupant in a normal seated position before leaning forward.

[0021] The automobile may be provided with a sensor that detects the position of the occupant's legs L and a control mechanism that controls the extension distance of the extendable member 7, so that the extendable member 7 extends based on the position of the occupant's legs L detected by the sensor. Furthermore, when a collision of the automobile is detected, the extendable member 7 may be preliminarily activated so that the lid panel 6 restrains the occupant's legs L before the airbag 10 is inflated and deployed.

[0022] The lid panel 6 and the retainer 4 may be connected by a tether.

[0023] In the above embodiment, an inner tether may be provided to divide the interior of the airbag 10 into the first inflation section 11 and the second inflation section 12. The inner tether may be provided with one or more holes for gas passage. The first inflation section 11 and the second inflation section 12 may be separate chambers, and the peripheral edges of the communication holes of the first inflation section 11 and the second inflation section 12 may be sewn together, allowing gas from the inflator 5 to flow from the first inflation section 11 to the second inflation section 12 through the communication holes.

[0024] 6, an airbag device 1' may be provided which includes a first airbag 10A which constitutes a first inflation portion 11 that pushes the lid panel 6 rearward, and a second airbag 10B which constitutes a second inflation portion 12 that restrains the head and chest of an occupant. The first airbag 10A is inflated and deployed by gas generated from an inflator 5A, and the second airbag 10B is inflated and deployed by gas generated from an inflator 5B. Vent holes (not shown) are provided on the side of the second airbag 10B as necessary.

[0025] The second airbag 10B deploys toward the rear of the vehicle above the first airbag 10A. As the second airbag 10B deploys, the monitor arm 9 and the monitor 8 are pushed up.

[0026] By providing the first inflation section 11 and the second inflation section 12 as separate airbags, the deployment timing and energy absorption characteristics can be optimized for each inflation section.

[0027] A tether may be provided inside the airbag 10 to connect the first panel on the occupant-facing side to the second panel on the opposite side to the occupant, thereby controlling the inflated thickness of the airbag 10 and the amount of extrusion (rearward movement) of the lid panel 6.

[0028] In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the monitor 8 is installed in front of the seat 3 has been described, but instead of the monitor 8, a steering wheel or a steering wheel with a monitor may be installed.

[0029] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the components can be modified and embodied in practice without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining multiple components disclosed in the above-described embodiments. For example, some components may be omitted from all the components shown in the embodiments. Furthermore, components from different embodiments may be appropriately combined. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 1 Airbag device 2. Instrument panel 4 retainer 5, 5A, 5B inflators 6 Lid Panel 8 monitors 10, 10A, 10B airbags 11 First expansion section 12 Second expansion section

Claims

1. an airbag including a first inflatable portion that inflates and deploys in a region forward of the legs of an occupant, and a second inflatable portion that is connected to an upper portion of the first inflatable portion and inflates and deploys in a region forward of the chest of the occupant; a retainer that accommodates the folded airbag; a lid panel attached to the retainer; an inflator that ejects gas to inflate the airbag; Equipped with The lid panel is pushed rearward as the first inflation section inflates and deploys, thereby restraining the legs of an occupant.

2. 2. The airbag device of claim 1, wherein the lid panel is attached to the retainer via an extensible member.

3. 2. The airbag device according to claim 1, wherein the second inflatable portion restrains the head and chest of an occupant leaning forward.

4. a first airbag that inflates and deploys in a region in front of the legs of an occupant; a first inflator that ejects gas to inflate the first airbag; a second airbag that inflates and deploys in a region forward of the occupant's chest; a second inflator that ejects gas to inflate the second airbag; a retainer that accommodates the folded first airbag; a lid panel attached to the retainer; Equipped with The lid panel is pushed rearward as the first airbag inflates and deploys, thereby restraining the legs of an occupant.

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